Olympus PEN E-PL7 First Impressions Review

The E-PL7 is the sixth camera in Olympus's midrange PEN Lite lineup. The PEN series has been somewhat overshadowed by the excellent OM-D cameras, whose DSLR-like styling has been better received than the rangefinder-esque PENs, but the PL7 makes a bid to reaffirm the position of the smaller cameras.

The latest model adds several significant improvements over its predecessor, not least a revised shutter mechanism, a full control dial on the top plate and a 3:2 rear display. The shutter mechanism reduces the image shake that has blunted the appeal of previous models while the addition of a control dial should enhance the experience for users wanting to take control of the camera. The squarer display, meanwhile, is a better balance between the shape of the camera's stills and movie output - meaning more of the screen is used.

Recent iterations of the PEN Lite have been caught between the point-and-shoot orientated PEN Minis and the enthusiast-targeted full-sized PENs, and have ended up not being a perfect fit for anyone. The PL7 seems less concerned about treading on its siblings' toes: it wears its classic styling more boldly, rather than looking like a pastiche of its big brother and the control dial means it can offer a more hands-on shooting experience than previous little PENs. Interestingly, there's no sign yet of an update to the less expensive model.

Meanwhile, the point-and-shoot end of the audience still get a responsive touchscreen experience with a results-orientated 'live guide' interface. And, because it needs to justify its purchase to a smartphone-owning world, a fold-down rear screen for taking 'selfies.' There's also built-in Wi-Fi to transfer those shots off to a smartphone before you miss any further moments, or your food gets any colder.

E-PL7 key features

16MP Four Thirds CMOS sensor

Top-plate control dial

8 fps continuous shooting

Tilting 1.04M dot 3:2 LCD touchscreen

Larger-capacity 8.5Wh battery

Wi-Fi allowing remote control and file transfer to smartphones

Focus peaking

'3-axis' image stabilization

Much of the rest of the E-PL7 is familiar - it's based on a familiar sensor and the TruePic VII processor that offers very similar results to the chip used in the existing model. However, our early testing suggests the shutter shake isn't nearly as prominent as it had been on existing PEN models. The E-PL7 offers a '0-second' anti-shock system (hidden and not engaged by default) which completely elimiates the problem by using an electronic shutter to start the exposure just after the physical shutter has opened.

As usual for an Olympus release, the E-PL7 also gains some extra Art Filters. The company's enthusiasm for constantly expanding this feature is understandable, given that it pioneered the as-you-shoot processing effect in cameras. We're not entirely sure why you wouldn't do this once the image is on your smartphone but Olympus insists that customer research suggests people like to add filters on the camera and on their smartphones.

The 3-axis voice coil motor driven 3-axis stabilisation is borrowed from the E-M10 and promised around 3.5 stops worth of stabilization, according to industry-standard testing. The company says its resistance to roll (rotation around the lens axis), is improved over the previous model, offering greater 'selfie stability.'

Model

OM-D E-M10

PEN E-PL7

PEN E-P5

Sensor

16MP CMOS

16MP CMOS

16MP CMOS

Image processor

TruePic VII

TruePic VII

TruePic VI

Image stabilization

3-axis

3-axis

5-axis

Stabilization effectiveness (CIPA)

3.5 stops

3.5 stops

~4 stops

Accessory Port?

No

Yes

Yes

Screen specifications

1.04m dot,
WVGA LCD

1.04m dot,
WVGA LCD

1.04m dots
WVGA LCD

Electronic viewfinder

1.44m dot,
SVGA LCD

Optional

Optional

Number of focus points

81

81

35

Built-in flash?

Yes

No

Yes

Wi-Fi?

Yes

Yes

Yes

Maximum shutter speed

1/4000 sec

1/4000 sec

1/8000 sec

X-Sync speed (with internal/bundled flash)

1/250 sec

1/250 sec

1/320 sec

Movie options

1080/30p MOV
up to 24Mbps

1080/30p MOV
up to 24Mbps

1080/60i MOV
up to 20Mbps

Battery life (shots/charge, CIPA)

320

350

330

The E-PL7 is being launched at a cost of $599 body only and $699 with the manually retractable 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 zoom. In Europe, bundles are also available that include the 14-42mm power zoom lens that pairs well with the PL7's compact form factor. Sadly, Olympus US has not yet announced a similar kit.

Comments

PS - marketing dept. I'm not a girl, but I'll buy your camera because it works for me. For scientists - yeah, you can make a better image if you want to spend $5,000 for FF and good lenses, and break your back. But you can make good images with OLYs. Good enough to win contests and to publish. I scan for better systems, find ones that do one thing or another better, but for general purposes - lots of lenses, compact/bright for long focal length, small light primes, light, inexpensive bodies that make good images, weather sealing, for all the things collectively, all the uses of the system, at the cost, I can't find anything better. For specialized applications yes. But for the range of things you can do, no. From fast 12mm prime to f/2.8 300mm (35mm format) to 600mm with legacy lenses to 1200mm with 2X telephoto and everything in between at the cost. If I could beat it, I'd sell everything today, but so far....

Bought PL7 - holiday price. Really happy. Have M-5 PM1 and PM2. Use M-5 + grip for long, heavy legacy lenses + four thirds lens for grip. PM1 on track cars with 15mm lens cap - great for track video. Remote mic for great audio with the accessary port. The PM2 was second camera for primes when two cameras nice to have, hikes and for small, light P&S with good IQ. I like the attachable EVF to reduce size. Don't need it or the flash much but can carry vest pocket. Prefer LCD anyway with short FL. It's what I'm comfortable with. You can't debate how you feel. If you like it - you like it. Have high quality lenses for DOF, sometimes just want a snapshot. For best image, I pull out the expensive glass. Same body, lots of uses. PL7, it adds a new dimension to OLY. A small PEN with controls. Not all the way there, but going in the right direction. P5 has more controls but too big for comfort. I like PL better. Gave up a dial for it. My choice to compromise. OLY, I think I get it. I'm happy.

Maybe there isn't enough on-board memory to do so, but why don't camera manufacturers offer multiple menu formats? The camera could prompt the user at initial setup for the date/time and user interface preference. The less experienced can choose "simple", the more experienced "advanced" or "Custom menu" mode. If there were three different "flavors" of how the camera menus and options were configured, there wouldn't be so many people who are frustrated. Frustrated groups include those switching brands (e.g. used to a Sony, Canon or Nikon setup and now confronted with an Olympus, Panasonic or Fuji menu style.); people who are new to digital photography in general (the very young, the very old) and those who are advanced users and are frustrated with how menus are nested. The camera setup routine ought to query the user experience level and format the GUI accordingly.

"The E-PL7 has a more traditional rangefinder-style body, complete with a built-in grip, rather than the older models' screw-in ones". Why did Olympus eliminate the larger grip option? For me the larger optional grip available for the E-P3 and E-PL5 improves the ergonomics considerably.

This was the one and only thing that put me off the E-PL7. I think I am not an only one....on the other side I absolutely adore those extra 2 effects it has. I even though of ripping the built in grip off and glue the larger one in place, but it's smaller and it would not cover the mess I'd create...any ideas or solutions not involving screwing on a separate heavy grip are much appreciated.

Great DOA camera. Seems Olympus marketing is detached from the market. Great if they can go the Fuji way but I believe they'll fail.

They needed to observe what Sony is doing and offer E-PM2 with just two improvements: Usable LCD. Certainly has to be tiltable because of the market but I wouldn't mind as long as it's bright 3:2 LCD (won't ask for more but would love to see 4:3 huge LCD . Beside that, E-PM2 needed EV compensation during video. So, that's two things and nothing more. A 300$ camera.Or, make it 450$ with bundled PZ lens as obviously, people buy sony happily even with that horrible lens.

Could even reduce the price by supplying weaker and smaller flash. Nobody cares about that anyway. I do but we are talking marketing and people are obviously buying that crap from sony that can't lit up 10ft at maximum output.

It'll always be more of a niche camera than the EM10 or EM5. I bought it because I wanted a better viewfinder than the EM10 and wanted the ability to remove the viewfinder when I didn't want to shoot with one. Paired with the VF4 it's brilliant.

However, the camera is fundamentally a Pen version of the E-M10 (something other commentators have rightly pointed out above). Other review websites have rated the camera quite highly. Maybe these have taken the trouble to look past the ‘girly’ advertizing into the actual photographic merits of the camera and come up with a more accurate evaluation than this review.

I replaced my Canon M and lens for this Olympus EPL-7 and am so very happy I did. This camera, once set up to the way you shoot, is so much more capable. It is so much faster shooting than with the M, no delays at all. Plus, for shooting night scenes you have that wonderful live view in bulb mode. Having not used the Olympus menus it took me a little while to go through all of it but I did it. And, if I can do it anyone can! :) This camera is worth a purchase indeed.

I bought one as an alternative to a digicam (insufficient image quality) or one of my dSLRs (not portable enough when on a business trip where photography is secondary... but I do want to take photos of the places I go), body only, plus a 14-40/2.8 m.Zuiko Pro lens.

The camera comes with a detachable flash, so it's just as practical as my Nikon FE2 was back in the day... and honestly I very seldom use flash nowadays. Digital cameras with decent-sized sensors and high ISO capability, along with image stabilization, are revolutionizing available light photography.

I'm very pleased with my purchase, and have also picked up the Gen 3 40-150/4-5.3 lens, figuring that I'll only use it in the daytime when light won't be as much of an issue. And, I'm waiting to see the 40-150/2.8 and compare it to the Pany 35-100/2.8... the latter is assuredly a better travel lens for the E-PL7, and with a 1.4x TC still gives a 35mm equivalent of 100-300/4.

The zuiko 40-150/2.8 is not really that big and the extra speed :)If you need compact and light and can forsake the speed, there's always the bargain-priced polycarbonate-cased 40-150.It actually works well with a bit of care. Watch the bokeh, though.

I respectfully disagree. I too have an unhealthy knowledge of Olympus menus having survived ownership of the an OM-D EM-5 and P5. Customizing this camera is child's play for me. I've used it for birding trips, scenics and casual Grandpa photography. What concerns me is that the sensor behaves as well or better than the EM-1. It is so easy to use and carry around. Pictures using the unlikely combination of camera+ Pany/Leica 25 mm are scary good. As a second camera of a MFT system user this is the best PEN yet!

The menu points are well taken. I am fairly familiar with the Oly menu but find myself frustrated on occasion just trying to find particular thing and not knowing exactly where to dive in on the hugely expansive menu. Mostly it's not an issue because much of it is "set it and forget it."

I don't get it why shooting experience is mostly about not so good default settings? I mean, camera is very customizable and can be used as quickly and in the same way as DLSR if user takes some time to change default behavior in a menus.

The First Impressions article leaves the distinct impression that reviewers consider the E-PL7 a mediocre camera. I am heavily invested in MFT; I already own an E-M5 and a stable of Oly lenses. So I took the plunge anyway.

This little camera is a genuine jewel. I can carry it all day without noticing, which was my goal. The only real bother is the clip-on flash. I intend to buy a VF4, so having the hot shoe free for that means I'll be switching back and forth a bit ... but I'm trading the bulk of the not-always-needed EVF for considerable size savings.

Autofocus speed is very good, even in some challenging indoor environments. I first took the camera on a trip to New Orleans and found the fold-down screen somewhat useful, which surprised me since I expected not to use it at all. When I go back overseas with my E-M5, I will also take the E-PL7. I wouldn't be surprised to have the E-PL7 around my neck most of the time.

Having worked for a Japanese company for 25+ years I am never surprised at the baffling approach to "improvements" of an existing design. In the company I worked for the original engineering group was not consulted on the improved design and almost never are consumer complaints given serious consideration. Even suggestions from company technicians who interface with frustrated consumers were regularly dismissed.......very, very frustrating!

Not so simple ;) Page 6"Olympus has done a really good job of addressing the hardware concerns we had about previous models: shutter shake, battery life and poorly-chosen LCDs, meaning the E-PL7 has it within it to be one of my favourite cameras in its class. And yet..."

I'm sorry, but no flash = no buy. How Olympus could have designed a camera for the point and shoot crowd just moving up from cellphone cameras, and left off an embedded flash is beyond me. Inside or outside, sometimes you need a flash !!

Well, I had the opportunity to try this camera (and the e-p5) this weekend. The first thing I can say about the e-pl7 is that the buttons are really tiny-really tiny compared to the buttons on my e-pl1. So small that I have no idea how you are going to operate them by feel when using the VF-2 at eye level. Seems like they were made for a tiny Japanese lady who will be looing at the back of the camera. The p5 is better but still, I wish it had bugger buttons. Next, the 3:2 screen is a disaster. Why they think it is necessary to supplicate video people is beyond me. The image is actually smaller than my e-pl1, and the icons are much smaller-so much so I have a hard time seeing them.

Otherwise it is an OK camera. The e-p5 impresses with a very quiet shutter release-Leica like. The twin dials are nice but the single dial of the pl7 works fine if you are using legacy lenses with aperture rings. The pl7 is definitely a fiddly camera-it would take some getting used to.

I agree on the 3:2 aspect ratio screen (still better than 16:9 though), but I think the higher resolution makes up to it somewhat.Btw. You can set aspect ratio to 3:2 and the full screen will be used. What I really find bizarre strange is that the viewfinder is actually of 4:3 aspect ratio, screen and finder aren't compatible I might think.

Would you use legacy lenses in Aperture-mode and use the dial for compensation?

I was looking at it and concluded that the E-P5 is the real upgrade for me. It has a lot more to offer (for me). Also I often have a beard and look like the guy on the Olympus site with an E-p5 ;).

As for the mode that is interesting. I was experimenting last night using S mode for manual focus legacy lenses. The rear dial adjusts the shutter speed and the front dial adjusts exposure comp which in reality just moves the ISO around to give you the exposure you want. The aperture ring on the lens is well, the aperture ring on the lens. If you think about it, this is exactly the set up on the Fuji X cameras with a prime lens.

Image is not smaller than E-PL1. I have both cameras at home and compared images on the LCD. E-PL1 has 2.7" LCD while E-PL7 has 3″ LCD. 3:2 LCD aspect ratio makes E-PL7 images look same size as E-PL1 or just slightly bigger, not smaller for sure. While resolution is huge advantage for E-PL7.

Buttons are smaller, but not hard to use blindly. Icons are smaller also, but at the same time there are more of them.

E-PL7 can be configured to use PASM modes very quickly and without repositioning hands. What I did is to customize two buttons on the top back of camera to change exposure and ISO while holding them with thumb and moving control wheel. Only WB and Shooting style are assigned to 4-way button on the back which can't be used without repositioning hands.

I don't have both in front of me but here is what I know. The E-pl1 screen is 44mm tall. The E-p5 screen (same screen as aon E-pl7) is certainly not any taller than that and a 4/3 image does not fill the screen top to bottom so it seems to me that the pl7 4/3 image is indeed smaller.

You have both, measure both and tell us the results.

As for the buttons, I can't see how I could work the E-pl7 at eye level with gloves on. THe e-p5 is doable as some buttons (e.g. magnifying glass) stick out more than others and the 2x2 switch is easy to work by feel.

They are both of the exactly same height (42mm). Even if my meter is off I used same for measuring both images. Width of images is also same, only e-pl7 due to wider screen shows black strips on both side of 4:3 image.

It's hard to use camera with gloves but two buttons near the top can be used. At least it can be used much easier than e-pl1 which doesn't have command wheel but only buttons.

What's most important to me is that using e-pl7 is like using DSLR with one command wheel and even better because of Olympus customization ability. Two buttons near the top together with command wheel can be used blindly and quickly.

What I also find stupid is that you can't trigger a wireless flash without flash on the camera. If I trigger a wireless flash with my E-p3 and don't want to include the light of the included flash, I have to use my hand, or some other way to hide that light.

Doesn't bother me because when I'm doing off camera flash trigger the LCD is way bright enough to see. Usually on a tripod in those circumstances as well. Really, when flash is required the LCD gives a bright clear view.

I think this camera is good value for money, £349 for a body in the UK that gets you the truepic VII image processor, in body i.s wi- fi and i think it looks smart too. I'm getting one just cant decide what colour.

Why is this Olympus' problem? has panasonic incorporated CA correction for Olympus lenses?They are competitors within the same format. I don't think Olympus is keen on you buying a Panasonic 20mm, they'd rather have you buy an Olympus 25mm F1.8.I agree it would be nice if they fixed it, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

AFAIK this is no longer a problem in the newer Olympus m43 models. It's an issue on the E-M5 and may be an issue on some of the other Oly m43 cameras that use the Sony sensor, but it's not an issue on the E-M1 (Panasonic sensor), and I'm pretty sure they've figured out how to avoid the issue on their more recent camera models. I certainly haven't heard any complaints about it on later m43 models.

Does anybody know what the shutter sounds like on this thing? I was very impressed with how quiet the shutter is on the EM-5. Very Leica like. Not so impressed with the way the shutter sounded on the EM-10.

Essentially, much of the E-PL7 is carried over from the E-M10, which runs about $100 more -- as a result, you're essentially paying that for the viewfinder and more physical controls.

Compared to similarly priced models, it's competitive for the money, but not a slam-dunk; Olympus generally doesn't deliver terrific video quality and I find the larger APS-C sensors still eke out better photo quality than their consumer Micro Four Thirds peers. But the flip-down LCD sounds like it might be a useful feature to have if you take a lot of self-portraits.

All Micro Four thirds camera's share the same sensor (at least from the same present-time) and all system camera's are made for consumers.

The E-pl7 is a pen camera that is the main difference (smaller, lighter, less direct controls). Also, while you don't get the viewfinder included as on the E-m10, you CAN add the optionally VF-4 which is much bigger than the one on the E-m10 (and yes that is a huge difference in photographing experience) and it can tilt.

Oly has focus peaking too. Anyway, I don't like it on Sony, Oly, or Fuji. I think it is a gimic. As for crop factor, I think this is in u4/3 favor. A "nifty fifty" becomes a fantastic 100mm f/1.8 on u 4/3. On Nex it is a so so 75mm lens.

Lots of grips for m4/3 cameras. The VF-2/VF-4 are as good as anything NEX has. IQ is better but only about ISO 3200 and I don't shoot there. With IBIS you don't have to.

IBIS is a very good thing for legacy lenses, but there are other factors even more important as focus peaking (fortunately this is available on new Olympuses) and built-in EVF, which stabilizes the camera better than IBIS, and allows you to set focus in sunlight.As for crop factor, if you take into account that new APS-C cameras have larger sensor and greater pixel density, 4/3 clearly lags behind. APS-C gives you wider field of view and cropped allows you to see more details than 16MPix 4/3.

All the Oly's have either a built in EVF or an EVF option. A nice thing about the external add on EVF' is that the tip up for macro work.

As for crop factor it cuts two ways. If you are shooting landscapes and displaying on a 9x16 monitor the 3:2 aspect ratio is an advantage. If you are shooting portraits and printing, the 4:3 aspect ratio is an advantage.

I'm tried the PL5 body a while ago and thought: if only it had a dial for aperture.

PL7 seems great, but the price is simply to high. M10 is only $100. If PL7 had a better sensor, this might be somehow attractive.With the same sensor it is just a bit smaller, a bit cheaper, but a seriously inferior camera.

With DSLRs, we pay a lot for features (eg. D3300 vs D7100).With Olympus the base price for getting into the system is very high, but a very serious "prosumer" body (M5) is not even twice as expensive as a basic PL5/7. But if Olympus manages to earn money this way, then this is what they should do.

Manual cameras had the same "sensor", the same JPEG engine (in a basement), no IBIS, no screen. Many had no battery at all and the shutters were mostly pathetic (compared to expensive cameras then and all cameras today).

Still, some people preferred to spend few times more on a better body.

Keywords: handling, buttons/dials, built quality.

For me PL5 was totally unacceptable even though it had the same sensor and very good IS, JPEGs and battery. The dial in PL7 makes it a usable camera, but at this price I'd easily put in another $100 and get the M10.

That said, PL models usually get a lot cheaper over time (OM's don't), so maybe I'll find a PL7 under $500 in a year or so. Maybe....

You are not going to be able to fit twin EM-10 style dials on the top plate, right side of the hot shoe E-pl7. The body is too short. The build quality seems similar. So there are your differences. If you want the smaller body you are going to have to give up one of the top plate control dials.

Now, there is a lot of real estate unused on the other side of the hot shoe. That was used in the pl5 for buttons but not on the pl7.

Product positioning. 2 dials would be to much in this segment. It's just like with cheaper DSLRs - they have 1 dial even though there is place for the second one (and a few more for that matter...).

Earlier PM and PL were rather similar and OM was much more advanced.

They pushed PL slightly upward with specs and price, which is a good move, because people like me (possibly switching from a DSLR, expecting decent and swift operation) will at least consider buying the camera.

That said, for me this camera is to expensive. I don't mind the slightly bigger size of M10 - especially when this size really comes from features (EVF, dials/buttons, grip), not from poor design. I would get the M.

That said, maybe Oly justs wants PL to be to M10 what P is to higher M's: smaller, stylish and simpler alternative. Possibly a good idea. Again, I'd choose M5 over P5. :)

So far it has proven surprisingly robust (as the whole camera) plus I cannot understand the ergonomics of having a primarily LCD based camera with the dial elsewhere than the back. As I said, I really wish all cameras could make it that easy to change aperture and compensate in one dial.

Of course it's very nice when you try it in a shop. Or if you live in California, south Italy or Australia.

It isn't so nice when you're wearing gloves (4 months per year where I live). So it's also not that great for high mountains, skiing and so on.That said, while the dial might be hard to use with gloves, the touchscreen is unusable. And you can't really use this camera without the LCD interface.

Seriously, lets not make a joke from a serious matter.I'm sure there will be a solution and proper gloves (made by all manufacturers - from Marmot to Versace) will work with touchscreens. But it isn't here yet.There are different types of gloves for different occasions: cycling, skiing, mountaineering, working, elegant etc. They won't work with a touchscreen, but they might work with dials and buttons. Simple as that.

The E-PL7 is being launched at a cost of $599 body only and $699 with the retractable 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 zoom. Sadly Olympus has not announced a kit with the retractable power zoom 14-42mm lens, which pairs well with the PL7's compact form factor.....this is unclear to me, whether there is such a kit ($699) or there is not??

If I'd go for an MFT camera I'd go for Olympus and I'd likely prefer the PL7 over the M10. Both of them are compact and capable of providing good IQ because of a comparatively big sensor. The M10 moreover has a built-in VF which is certainly welcomed by many a photographer. And yet - if you really like picture composing with a VF, you want the PL7 with the additional VF! The VF-4 is said to be great, and attached to the PL7 it's most likely a comfortable way to shoot with a compact. (Not only the left-eyers don't like pressing the face onto the rear screen of the M10 all the time)

Since the PL7 is more than a restyled PL5, it seems to be a package that's worth its price.

Totally agree. I own the OM EM5 and EM1, and while I love those viewfinders I actually prefer the attached VF-2 on my EPL5 because I can get my eye so much closer. Call me crazy, but I've even attached the VF-2 to my EM5 - it just really makes for a personal up-close experience I've never appreciated with cameras before.

If you've never had the experience of using the VF-2 or VF-4 attached to a Pen or an XZ series compact, it really is a treat. The side-mounted Nex-6 and Panny GX7 viewfinders come close to this experience but still not as nice.

A separate point, but my EPL5 gets as much use as my OMs for day-to-day because of it's size and convenience. With the same sensor as my M5 I don't think I'm missing much IQ-wise. I'm sure you'll be happy with either the EPL7 or OM10, but might prefer one or the other depending on how you'll use it and the overall gear package.

That's purely personal preference, like everything really is. The E-PL7 has a lower profile is a little smaller which could matter. But for someone else a built in flash and EVF could be important, so to each his/her own.

I am horribly appalled by the marketing of this thing, and by the accompanying change in the marketing of the whole PEN line. I was fairly proud of my E-PL5, but with the current marketing, I should feel embarrassed to ever pull it out. What happened to photography? Anyone want to tell me that those who like to match their cameras with their purses have any clue of, say, sensor size? Or of a difference between lenses? And that they actually want to know about it?

With a cooler head than yesterday, I am still bothered, and even worried. If I were in the market for a compact system camera today, the current marketing would quite likely turn me away from Olympus Pen; while the crowd this is being marketed to cannot tell the difference from a 20MP 1/2.3″. That does not necessarily mean PEN cannot be sold to them, but it still doesn’t feel right. It makes Olympus look utterly desperate for any sales. Not good. I’d like to know wherefrom came the idea to market PENs this silly way.

Only wannabees would be embarrased at what they use.Camera's are tools and there's almost always a flavour for everybody. I think you'd better buy a Canon or Nikon and join the lemmings :-).

My personal opinion is that forum members lay much to much emphasis on the dislike of how an LCD folds (selfy mode) there's much more to this camera. And yes it helps if more people buy it if that's obtained by marketing at the youngsters, more power to Olympus.

I don't think that will ever come. The marketing campaign for E-PL7 suggests that Olympus is desperate to try and find a place in the market for PEN cameras. They haven't been selling well for a while, and lets not kid ourselves, PL7 won't win with iPhone as a selfie camera. I will be very surprised if PL7 succeeds in the market.

This is probably the last PEN camera we'll see. Unless Olympus can get their act together and reinvent the line (or replace it with something else).

The EPL5 actually sold quite well. It's the E-PM2 that didn't sell so well. So it is looking more like the EPL7 becomes the only PEN camera (unless there is an EP7 maybe) and the E-PM2 continues to be sold off at amazing prices (which make it a great buy really)!

PM2 is out of stock now and even getting harder to find on ebay as cheap as it was a month ago. I like the size and IQ of the PM2..and price. newegg had it with kit lens for $200 (the white version) Seems white did not sell well. Everyone was dumping them a month ago.

BTW, my first digicam was the 3MP (but had constant F2.8 lens) Oly C3000 (cheaper version of the C3030 but still paid around $600 for it is my recollection). I think that had to be back in 1999 (my son was a year old when I got it is my recollection). Only competitors were Nikon and Canon back then, and slightly less so, Kodak had a very good camera too (and fell behind not long after).I think Steves-digicams (I preferred his site back then), dpreview, and imaging-resource were all around back then...started visiting the sites around a year earlier when I think they just started. Steve gave prizes if you got the 100,000 page hit, and 1m was a big deal back then - and it took awhile to hit 1m.

"if only Oly had put a mode dial on the PM2 (and a 4:3 screen) we wouldn't need the PL7!"

Obviously you're sort of right, but in practice I find it reasonably swift to change between modes using the touch screen. If I did it many times per shooting session, I'd find the lack of a dial more of an impediment. About the screen proportions, yes, I'd prefer a screen of the same proportions as my images...that was a pretty weird feature...

I shoot a lot with manual rangefinder lenses. The rear screen is not detailed enough for accurate focus without zooming. With the VF-2 I can manually focus without having to use the zoom feature. It is like using an old 35mm SLR except that the screen gains up if it gets dim. Also, it is more steady for really low hand held shutter speeds.

So, I can't give up the VF-2

I am really thinking about the E-pm2. The only thing leaning me towards the pl7 is that it can give a stabilized view for manual focusing with legacy lenses. Now that is a neat trick. Is it neat enough to justify another $300.00?

IMHO, what a strange review. On one hand, the reviewer criticizes Olympus for producing a camera that is too point-and-shoot emphasized and then goes on to say that the camera can be customized to be very much acceptable to enthusiasts. I think he was a bit unfair by saying he was disappointed with his initial shooting experience without mentioning the customizing potential of the camera BEFOREmaking that statement.

Ok, if this is intended for beginners, why not have a built in flash, while the more serious EM10 has one? I know they provide an external flash, but doesn't that make the whole thing bulky? I don't get it.Also, if you have the flash installed, that means you can't install an EVF since the flash uses the hot shoe and the port?

I've been saying this for some time now: ever since the introduction of the OM-D line, Oly should have eliminated the E-PL series. The E-PM covers the entry level crowd and the E-P series covers those who want performance in a company PEN body. I'd rather Oly had released this as the E-P6 with a built-in flash.

I never thought I'd agree with Tedolph, but he's right. The EPL2 was nearly perfect in form factor and features. Give it a modern sensor, better screen, fast focus, and 5-axis IBIS, and you have the best PEN camera available.

This EPL7 is a step down, as far as I'm concerned.

(Then again, I just bought an E-M10, so I guess I don't care all that much.)

it's really hilarious how the pl5–pl7 are marketed as fashion accessoirs while the p5 is marketed to semi pros. at least on the website. three girls with handbags and a artsy guy. with four different items representing one camera: champagne coloured high heels (pl7), a green purse (pl6), red sneakers (pl5) and a heavy silver watch (pl5) ^^ won't that mislead guys or girls who are interested in a pl model as a high quality photographic tool?

It's been a busy few weeks around the DPReview office. Alongside full-length reviews, we've been busy making sure our camera roundups are up to date as well as preparing seasonal content like our holiday gift guides. We know you've been busy too, and you might have missed some of the most recent additions to our studio test scene. Read more

The Olympus booth was relatively quiet compared to the madhouses at Nikon and Canons' stands, which made it easier to get up close and personal with the company's new lenses. We also took a look at some of their recent cameras, and have a few cutaways, as well. Read more.

At first glance the Olympus PEN E-PL7 looks like yet another compact, selfie-friendly mirrorless camera -- but looks can be deceiving. The innards of the camera come largely from the excellent OM-D E-M10, and Olympus touts the E-PL7's autofocus system as its best yet. For all the details on the latest PEN, check out our First Impressions Review.

Olympus has announced the PEN E-PL7, refreshing its entry-level mirrorless line. It offers a 16MP CMOS sensor, 3-axis image stabilization system borrowed from the OM-D E-M10, 8 fps continuous shooting and built-in Wi-Fi. Not forgetting the self-portrait-obsessed masses, the E-PL7 provides an articulated 3" touch LCD capable of flipping downward by 180°. Along with the E-PL7, Olympus has also announced an update to its OI.Share app as well as a black version of its 12mm F2.0 prime. Read more

Latest in-depth reviews

The Nikon Z6 may not offer the incredible resolution of its sibling, the Z7, but its 24MP resolution is more than enough for most people, and the money saved can buy a lot of glass. Find out what's new and notable about the Z6 in our First Impressions Review.

Many cameras today include built-in image stabilization systems, but when it comes to video that's still no substitute for a proper camera stabilization rig. The Ronin-S aims to solve that problem for DSLR and mirrorless camera users, and we think DJI has delivered on that promise.

The SiOnyx Aurora is a compact camera designed to shoot stills and video in color under low light conditions, so we put it to the test under the northern lights and against a Nikon D5. It may not be a replacement for a DSLR, but it can complement one well for some uses.

At its core, the Scanza is an easy-to-use multi-format film scanner. It offers a quick and easy way to scan your film negatives and slides into JPEGs, but costs a lot more than similar products without a Kodak label.

Latest buying guides

If you're looking for a high-quality camera, you don't need to spend a ton of cash, nor do you need to buy the latest and greatest new product on the market. In our latest buying guide we've selected some cameras that while they're a bit older, still offer a lot of bang for the buck.

What's the best camera for under $500? These entry level cameras should be easy to use, offer good image quality and easily connect with a smartphone for sharing. In this buying guide we've rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing less than $500 and recommended the best.

Whether you've grown tired of what came with your DSLR, or want to start photographing different subjects, a new lens is probably in order. We've selected our favorite lenses for Sony mirrorlses cameras in several categories to make your decisions easier.

Whether you've grown tired of what came with your DSLR, or want to start photographing different subjects, a new lens is probably in order. We've selected our favorite lenses for Canon DSLRs in several categories to make your decisions easier.

For the past few weeks, our readers have been voting on their favorite photographic gear released in the past year in a wide range of categories. Now that the first round of voting is over, it's time to pick the best overall product of 2018.

Sony had the full-frame mirrorless market to itself for nearly five years, but it's no longer alone – the Nikon Z6 and Canon EOS R have both arrived priced to compete with the a7 III. We take a head to head to head look at these three cameras.

As if it needed one, the triple-camera smartphone might really be the final nail in the compact camera's coffin. DPR contributor Lars Rehm brought the LG V40 on a hiking trip recently and found it to be a huge leap forward in terms of creative freedom.

Renowned UK-based landscape photographer Nigel Danson has been using DSLRs for years. In this video, created exclusively for DPReview, Nigel discusses his experience using the Nikon Z7 and why he's excited about mirrorless cameras. (Spoiler... beautiful scenery ahead.)

Chinese optical manufacturer Kipon has added the Nikon Z and Canon R mounts to its range of adapters made to attach medium format lenses from Hasselblad, Mamiya, Pentax and others to full frame cameras.